Just because a product is on a grocery or hardware store shelf does not make it safe. We are lulled into thinking that the hundreds of chemicals that we are exposed to each day are harmless. If they were dangerous, they would not be sold in the United States, right?

Wrong. There are approximately 80,000 chemicals that have been approved for commerce in the U.S. that are found in pesticides, household cleaners, plastic food containers, clothing flame retardants, cookware, cosmetics, personal care items and more. The vast majority of these chemicals have not been tested for safety.

According to Ken Cook, president of the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, when the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was passed, approximately 62,000 chemicals were already on the market. All were grandfathered in and assumed safe. TSCA does not require health or safety studies before a new chemical is released onto the market.

Once a chemical is approved, the burden of proof to show the chemical is hazardous is on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which does not have the resources to review the tens of thousands of chemicals on the market. The logical order would be to have the chemicals proven safe before they are approved, especially since it is near impossible to get a chemical taken off the market.

The nonprofit group Earthjustice provides legal support to enforce environmental laws. In a March 13 teleconference, Earthjustice managing attorney Marianne Engleman Lado said the U.S. has a broken regulatory system for monitoring chemicals that is endangering public heath. Many of the chemicals are associated with endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, developmental disorders and cancer. Nearly 15,000 chemicals are considered "secret" and there is no public information on these chemicals.

One chemical that has been a public cause for concern is BPA, bisphenol A. BPA has been on the market since the 1960s. It is a ubiquitous compound used in epoxy resins and plastics. It is often used for food and beverage containers and is known to leach into the contents of the food containers. According to the EPA, releases of BPA into the environment exceed 1 million pounds. Numerous studies have shown low-level BPA exposure linked to serious health problems, from cancer to type 2 diabetes to obesity and attention-deficit disorder.

The Union of Concerned Scientists reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relied heavily on two industry-funded studies in declaring the BPA safe for humans, while ignoring more than 100 scientific studies linking BPA with adverse health effects. Food packaging is under the jurisdiction of the FDA.

Groups are working to strengthen TSCA, but it is tough to gain ground against the millions of dollars spent on lobbying by the chemical industry.

The FDA did eventually ban BPA in plastics used for childrenís products, because of the public outcry. Now new studies are showing that the BPA chemical alternatives are no better than the BPA.

Page 2 of 2 - The chemical industry representatives say the chemical exposure is in doses too small, parts-per-billion, to have a negative effect on humans. Cook disagrees , pointing out that equivalent sized parts-per-billion doses are used in medicines such as anti-depressants and birth control with strong effects on humans. There is also the cumulative effect of being exposed to hundreds of chemicals each day from the air, water and in the products we use daily.

A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, reports that there may be a link between toxic chemicals and the recent increases in neuro-developmental disabilities among children, such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia. A recent study from the University of Illinois links early-life BPA exposure and prostate cancer. And the list goes on.

There are many steps we can take to reduce our exposure. One is to buy fresh, unpackaged organic produce. Buy products in containers, such as glass, that do not leach chemicals. Use containers at home made of glass, porcelain or stainless steel. Avoid cleaning products where most of the "secret" ingredients are not listed on the label. Use organic gardening and lawn care methods so your children and pets can play without fear of contact with harmful chemicals. The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition has suggestions of more ways to avoid chemical exposure. Visit www.saferchemicals.org to learn more.

Make your voice heard. The current bills before Congress, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (S. 1009) and Chemicals in Commerce Act DO NOT improve the safety of chemicals. To take action, visit www.earthjustice.org/action

Anne Mazar is an environmental advocate and a member of the Mendon Land Use Committee.